CarPlay is now available for you to buy and use thanks to a product line released by Pioneer
It’s safe to say that excitement for CarPlay has waned, after we’ve heard little to no news about it since the announcement in Spring. Automobile manufacturers haven’t been quick to take up the product, meaning that it’s due to be integrated into only a small number of high-end car models. However, Pioneer has become the first company to release CarPlay-enabled media devices. They replace your car’s radio and make it easy to listen to music, access Siri, get directions, manage messages and make calls – hopefully without distracting you from the road.
CarPlay can be used with Pioneer’s 2014-NEX line of multimedia receivers – users can get it as a firmware update for the AVIC–8000NEX, AVIC–7000NEX, AVIC–6000NEX, AVIC–5000NEX and the AVH–4000NEX. These range in price from anything between $700 and $1400. You can get their smartphone receiver, the AppRadio 4, to use your iPhone alone for similar functionality for $600.
Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for the Car Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. made the following statement:
“CarPlay enriches the iPhone experience in the vehicle by providing a safer way to access the iPhone features they want to use most while driving. With Pioneer’s implementation, CarPlay can now be integrated into millions of vehicles already on the road.”
The firmware update to get CarPlay on these devices is completely free, but requires at least an iPhone 5 and any OS after and including iOS 7.1.
Read more: Great driving apps for the iPhone